Sister Alice Matthew Thees

Sister Alice Matthew Thees, O.P., 87, died on Wednesday, June 12, 2013, in Glen Ridge, N.J. A Funeral Mass will be offered in St. Aloysius Church, 219 Bloomfield Ave., Caldwell, N.J., on Monday, June 17, at 10:30 a.m. Visiting is at St. Catherine of Siena Convent, 7 Ryerson Ave. (Mount St. Dominic), Caldwell, on Sunday from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m., and at St. Aloysius Church on Monday from 10 to 10:30 a.m. Sister Alice Matthew was born in Jersey City, N.J., entered the Dominican Sisters of Caldwell on Aug. 30, 1944, and professed vows on April 30, 1946. Sister held a B.A. in math and chemistry from Caldwell College, an M.A. in math from Villanova University, a Ph.D. in math and college administration from Columbia University, and received her real estate license in New Jersey in 1986. She also did post-graduate studies in math at the University of Notre Dame and Tulane University. Sr. Alice Matthew taught elementary grades at St. Virgil School in Morris Plains, N.J., from 1946 to 1951; chemistry, biology, and geometry at St. Dominic Academy in Jersey City from 1951 to 1957, and returned as principal from 1975 to 1977. Sister also taught math and religion at Bayley Ellard High School and Lacordaire Academy. From 1964 to 1975, Sister taught math and served as academic dean at Caldwell College, and served in campus ministry and taught math at Fairleigh Dickinson University from 1977 to 1979. She was on the leadership team of the Dominican Order from 1979 to 1989, serving as treasurer of the order and councilor for fiscal planning. She served as director of planning and development at Marian Manor in Caldwell from 1986 to 1995, as the director and managing agent of Siena Village in Wayne, N.J., from 1995 to 2011, and the managing agent for Lincoln Hill Village from 1999 to 2011. Sister Alice Matthew was the sister-in-law of Helen Thees; the aunt of AliceMarie Vorhees, Gerald Thees, Robert Thees, and Thomas Thees, and is also survived by seven great-nieces and nephews and their children whom she always remembered at Christmas. Sister Alice Matthew was preceded in death by her parents, Matthew and Alice, and her brother, Matthew J. Thees. Memorial donations to the Sisters of St. Dominic, 1 Ryerson Ave., Caldwell, N.J. 07006, would be appreciated.